By Wang Yujing, multimedia journalist, with contributions from Ye Guanqing and Hu Xiaodong

　　Drawing on its history as a major maritime trading centre during the Song and Yuan dynasties and its status as a World Heritage city, Quanzhou is developing a global network to promote its food culture.

　　The city has introduced the Quanzhou Food Culture Exhibition and Experience Partner Centre and Restaurant Development Plan. The initiative will establish a tiered network of partner centres and restaurants in China and overseas, with the goal of reaching 100 cities and 1,000 establishments.

　　Supported by a global community of more than 9.5 million people with ancestral ties to Quanzhou, the programme is based on the idea that every participating restaurant can serve as a window onto the city. Quanzhou-themed restaurants will function not only as places to eat but also as cultural spaces showcasing the city's cuisine, history and identity.

　　The initiative is intended to promote Quanzhou's food culture internationally, connect local producers with markets around the world and strengthen the city's international profile under the theme "World Heritage Quanzhou: Flavours Connecting Five Continents."

　　Overseas Communities Provide a Global Platform

　　Quanzhou merchants and communities can be found in more than 170 countries and regions. These overseas connections are one of the city's key strengths and provide a natural platform for introducing Quanzhou cuisine to international audiences.

　　For many years, people with roots in Quanzhou have operated southern Fujian restaurants outside the city and overseas. However, because these businesses are widely dispersed and often have limited space for presenting Quanzhou's culture, they have not yet formed a coordinated promotional network.

　　The Hundred Cities, Thousand Restaurants initiative seeks to address this by creating two categories of participating establishments: partner centres and partner restaurants. Applications will be accepted through Quanzhou business associations in other Chinese cities and through overseas Chinese community organisations. The aim is to develop restaurants operated by members of the Quanzhou diaspora into standardised platforms for presenting the city internationally.

　　"The initiative has already been promoted through the Federation of Industry and Commerce and other organisations, and many members of overseas Quanzhou communities have contacted us for information about how to participate," an official from the Quanzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce said.

　　Applications will be assessed using a 100-point evaluation system. Larger restaurants applying to become partner centres must score at least 85 points, while smaller establishments specialising in local snacks must score at least 80 points to qualify as partner restaurants.

　　The assessment covers operating scale, the availability of Quanzhou dishes, cultural displays, service standards and cooperation in promoting the city's brand. The process also allows flexibility for businesses in overseas commercial districts, small long-established restaurants and newly opened establishments.

　　The programme is not intended to apply a single standard to every business. Both large restaurants in Chinese cities and small specialist eateries overseas may participate, provided that they maintain the essential character and authentic flavours of Quanzhou cuisine.

　　Each accredited establishment will serve as a small-scale exhibition space for Quanzhou. Participating restaurants will be required to offer classic Quanzhou dishes regularly and provide a dedicated cultural display area featuring information about the city's culinary history, ingredients and cooking utensils. They will also be encouraged to sell local gifts and prepared food products.

　　Overseas restaurants will be encouraged to provide bilingual menus and explanatory materials. Diners sampling dishes such as ginger duck, runbing spring rolls and mianxianhu, a traditional vermicelli soup, will therefore also be able to learn about Quanzhou's wider culinary heritage.

　　Applications will undergo an initial review by overseas Chinese community organisations, followed by an assessment by a municipal panel of experts. A first group of southern Fujian restaurants in major Chinese cities, Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas is being added to the programme. As the network expands, participating establishments will collectively promote Quanzhou to audiences around the world.

　　Tiered Support Connects Local Industry with Global Markets

　　The Hundred Cities, Thousand Restaurants initiative involves more than awarding plaques to participating businesses. It establishes a coordinated system for business development, operation, supervision and long-term support.

　　Under a tiered development model combining government guidance with commercial operation, applicants that do not immediately qualify may receive further assistance. Businesses scoring between 70 and 84 points will enter a priority development group and may bypass the initial review when applying again the following year. Businesses that require more extensive preparation will be placed in a prospective-partner group and monitored for future participation.

　　A dedicated team will help businesses address shortcomings identified during the assessment process. It will also connect restaurants in China and overseas with suppliers of Quanzhou ingredients, prepared foods and culinary talent. This is expected to strengthen both the distribution of local products and their presentation in international markets.

　　The city will produce standard plaques and promotional materials in Chinese and English. Participating restaurants will receive free publicity through overseas Chinese community organisations and municipal social media accounts. They will also be given priority when businesses are recommended for food exhibitions in China and abroad.

　　Additional assessment points will be available to businesses operated by members of overseas Chinese communities, restaurants that promote ingredients from Quanzhou and establishments that organise banquets featuring the food traditions of the Quanzhou diaspora.

　　The programme will include regular inspections and continuing reviews. Businesses found to have serious food-safety problems or to have damaged Quanzhou's reputation will be removed from the network.

　　The initiative is also intended to support cooperation between restaurants in China and those overseas. Domestic establishments will introduce Quanzhou's food traditions to visitors from other parts of the country, while overseas restaurants will serve as local platforms for culinary and cultural exchange.

　　Restaurants may adapt their dishes to local preferences while preserving the essential characteristics of southern Fujian cuisine. This approach reflects the openness of Quanzhou's Maritime Silk Road heritage, which has long been shaped by exchange between different cultures.

　　Participating businesses will also support one another across the network. Their activities are expected to increase sales of Quanzhou ingredients, prepared foods and food-related cultural products while providing regular opportunities to introduce the city's history and culture to wider audiences.

　　A Network of Partner Restaurants by 2029

　　By 2029, Quanzhou plans to establish a network of standardised food culture exhibition and experience centres and partner restaurants across 100 cities, with 1,000 participating establishments.

　　The programme will use the city's extensive overseas connections to increase the international visibility of Quanzhou cuisine. Each restaurant will serve as a cultural window, while food will provide a direct link between the city and people around the world.

　　Through a meal from southern Fujian, diners in China and overseas will be able to discover Quanzhou's history as a centre of maritime exchange and its continuing tradition of openness, cultural diversity and international connection.